READER REPORT: Lincoln Park picnic shelter left in disarray

1:13 AM: If you’ve got Shelter 4 on the Lincoln Park shore booked for a Labor Day picnic – be forewarned. Kevin sent the photo late Sunday night:

We were down there walking this evening around 10 pm and came across one of the most disgusting messes that we’ve ever seen. It’s quite heartbreaking to see a public space in our neighborhood treated with so little care.

We made some attempt at cleaning up, but it was very dark and my phone was about to die and it provided the only light. We made a dent, but the size of the mess was quite overwhelming. I’ve called Seattle Parks about it also, but safe to say they won’t get the message until Tuesday – hopefully there’s some recourse from them to whoever had the reservation. Words can’t do the mess justice. … I can only imagine the poor folks who show up tomorrow for a Labor Day picnic and have to deal with that before they can have their own day – at least it will be light.

I’m sure people leave picnic sites in an untidy state quite often, sadly… but the absolute magnitude of this mess and the disrespect to others left us dismayed and angry.

MONDAY AFTERNOON: Commenters who’ve since been to the park say this has been cleaned up. Given that so many unused items were among what was left behind, some wondered if what happened was an abrupt emergency departure. The archived real-time 911 log shows a medical response at the park at 4:42 pm, but there’s no way to tell whether it was related.

Friend O'Dinghus September 3, 2018 (7:01 am)

I share your disgust Kevin! I cannot think of a single legitimate reason, short of fire, tsunami, or asteroid strike, that would excuse such selfish behavior. Karma is a b**ch , and I don’t even have to be there to see it, to know that the universe will get even.Trash is as trash does.

Mark September 3, 2018 (7:59 pm)

You forgot zombie apocalypse. I think that would qualify as well.

ttt September 3, 2018 (7:44 am)

Disgusting that a group of people would leave the park so littered. I hope the parks system bans them f om ever being able to rent a shelter in the city again.

KM September 3, 2018 (8:42 am)

If people are doing that, they aren’t going to care if the city bans them (if they even bothered to rent the shelter). Therein lies part of the problem, there are very limited ways to hold people accountable in our society.

Cynical girl September 3, 2018 (8:08 am)

Entitled people gonna entitle.

KS September 3, 2018 (8:40 am)

This really is awful, and incredibly inconsiderate. However, what also immediately struck me was the fact that it looked more like they all left in a big hurry. The things left behind are really unusual (other than the trash). Who would leave all of the condiments, perfectly good food, plates, etc. Really bizarre.

AT September 3, 2018 (1:55 pm)

They must have been abducted by aliens. It’s the only explanation. ;)

Pam September 3, 2018 (8:59 am)

I have a feeling they probably did not even rent the shelter. They just turned up had their party and left. So the Park department will have no record of them. Hopefully they are not smart people and did rent it not realizing they can be traced.

Solstice Park neighbor September 3, 2018 (9:43 am)

I would assume that if they left such a mess, they also didn’t have reservations so can’t be held accountable. We deal with this sort of mess at Solstice Park on a regular basis (especially the 4th of July). UGH.

AJP September 3, 2018 (9:54 am)

Weird, it looks like a lot of money was wasted leaving behind non-trash items like a big stack of unused paper plates.

barbara s spector September 3, 2018 (10:22 am)

Looks from the photo like they left a lot of food and usable items. As tho they walked away from their picnic…………?

MJ September 3, 2018 (10:24 am)

The picnic shelters are rented spaces, thus the Parks Department should know who the inconsiderate renter was and make them pay for the clean up. I believe the agreement stipulates cleaning up the space at the end of your event!

JC September 3, 2018 (10:24 am)

Really hate it for the next group coming in. Short of some super extreme medical emergency, there is no excuse and even then with a group this size (judging by the quantities of goods) someone could stay behind or come back and clean up IF there were a reason they had to leave quickly. That’s me totally trying to give someone the benefit of the doubt. The reality is, probably just inconsiderate a**holes. If you aren’t going to take care of the parks, stay out of them!! That litter will live on elsewhere in the Park for a long time. So sad and ridiculous. Agree on the other comments!

HS September 3, 2018 (10:45 am)

Really poor behavior. The trash containers are a few steps away…

Debbie September 3, 2018 (10:45 am)

Doesn’t it seem strange that someone would leave so many unused items? Those plates and condiments and squeeze bottles all aren’t cheap. I hope there wasn’t some sort of emergency but even then you would think pals would clean it up

WSB September 3, 2018 (11:05 am)

Looking at yesterday’s archived real-time 911 log, there was a medic response to the park at 4:42 pm but no way to tell if it was in the park, at the beach, in the parking lot, etc. (8011 Fauntleroy is a catch-all address for the park) It does not appear a medic-unit hospital transfer resulted, as both units were “in service” within about 20 minutes of dispatch.

M September 3, 2018 (11:07 am)

I walk this beach pretty regularly and every day for the past two weeks. What I noticed about the group that was there yesterday around 5:30pm was that someone defaced the hearth in the shelter with graffiti. It wasn’t there the day before. Hopefully it can scrubbed off the stone. Just shameful. What’s especially awful is that there are garbage bins just feet from this area. They simply did not care. If mess is still there around noon, glad to help clean up if others want to give a hand. If this reached criminal level for some reason, I know a fire truck passed very closely to this group on the narrow path on the way to treat a woman who fell ill near the pool. Maybe they can recall more than we can.

sgs September 3, 2018 (11:15 am)

Yes, to me it looks like they left in a hurry for some reason, maybe emergency. However, they could have sent someone to return to clean up.

aa September 3, 2018 (11:17 am)

What struck me about this incident, yes trash is appalling, and what went through my mind was, you were walking in Lincoln Park in the dark at 10 pm with a phone that was about to die??!! Unrelated to the picnic circumstances, that to me is taking undue risk with your safety.

KM September 3, 2018 (12:17 pm)

Worst comment of the year?
- WSB September 3, 2018 (12:37 pm)
  
  Even those of us who use phones as a vital working tool occasionally find ourselves having forgotten to charge it …

miws September 3, 2018 (11:48 am)

When I came across this earlier this morning I didn’t study the image thoroughly enough to realize just *how* much seemingly usable stuff was leftover. The one thing that caught my eye was the bottle of Cholula Hot Sauce, that not only appears to be still full of sauce but that it looks like it was not even opened, judging by the reflection of the light/flash on the wooden cap, as if the shiny plastic tamper seal is still on there. The wooden cap is matte-surfaced.—–Mike

dsa September 3, 2018 (12:55 pm)

They left a crock pot too. Maybe this was a plan to reserve the spot for today without a real reservation from the city.

Glass half Full September 3, 2018 (1:33 pm)

I find it interesting that the first conclusion is this was left by a dishonorable group of slobs, thugs MAYBE there was a legitiment reason it was left due to a family emergency of a member who was not in attendance. seeing it appears the items left were in useable condition.

Samuella Samaniego September 3, 2018 (1:48 pm)

My spouse, our dog and I drove down there late this morning with a couple brooms and two construction grade garbage bags. The mess that was left behind was already gone and I noticed that the garbage bags in the disposal cans were freshly changed. So I’m thinking that City staff may have been there already. I agree that more than a couple items shown in last nite’s photo are not cheap and other items look hardly used ore even opened yet.As someone who has worked in human services, I have to say this sorta hit me in the gut when I saw the photo this morning. My first thought was someone had an emergency, left immediately and very quickly. My second thought was it might be a Mom, head of household etc., who has a protection/restraining order against an offender and they needed to get out of there ASAP before being seen by the abuser who was in the vicinity. Its heartbreaking to know how many times, and how very common it is for a woman to be forced to vacate, drop everything and leave her belongings behind in her home, shelter space, her job, the bus, whatever, wherever, all in order to avoid being seen by the offender. There are women (some men) and children who do exactly this many times over for years at a time just to survive. When you have to live your life so defensively and be prepared at all times to run it is in fact also exhausting. Having seen this as many times as I have, this really looked like a scene that profiles those circumstances. Maybe I’m wrong. And that would be just fine with me.

Julia September 3, 2018 (1:56 pm)

It’s all cleaned up now. Nobody using the site.

Brontosaurus September 3, 2018 (1:59 pm)

Is it possible they were coming back? Had just gone down to the beach or something, and were having a late night picnic in an unreserved shelter? I had expected to see lots of beer cans in the photo but instead it’s like a family just walked away from their picnic, leaving a crockpot and unopened condiments. It’s a mystery but I don’t think it’s lazy people. Would like to find out what the story is.

West Seattle Hipster September 3, 2018 (2:19 pm)

This has all the makings of aTwilight Zone episode. I’d it possible they were teleported to a different plane of existence?It’s a cookbook!

Lynnbob September 3, 2018 (3:00 pm)

We do not know the circumstances of this incident. It may have been a medical emergency (or not). Thanks to whenever cleaned it up.

Vanessa September 3, 2018 (3:19 pm)

Scully? Mulder?

Graciano September 3, 2018 (5:52 pm)

I think it was a ZOMBIE Apocalypse….is it or isn’t???

KD September 3, 2018 (7:02 pm)

Rapture

seaopgal September 4, 2018 (1:54 pm)

Shoot, missed it again.

Danielle Varanda September 3, 2018 (10:28 pm)

Interesting that so many people would jump to conclusions and judgements about a shelter that obviously was abandoned in a hurry. I just live across from the park, and yes there were emergency vehicles that came to the park. What if instead of going into shame, blame, judgement and conclusions. You could ask a question? What happened here? Then perhaps you would have an awareness of what happened! Instead of fabricating something that is not true!Do you know what is the most toxic substance on earth is? Judgement!Perhaps you could send healing energy, prayers, or best wishes to the people who obviously had to leave in a hurry. And perhaps caring for a family member is more important, or grieving for someone is more important than going back to the park to pick up things. Being superior A–HOLES is not a contribution to the world!

Seattlite September 4, 2018 (8:11 am)

I think any normal, responsible citizen(s) would have come back and cleaned up their mess even if they were taken away by an emergency. No one on this thread is being “superior” but instead is wondering where the common sense was in this situation.
- newnative September 4, 2018 (9:29 am)
  
  that has got to be the most ridiculous thing I have read. “…any normal, responsible citizen(s) would have come back and cleaned up their mess even if they were taken away by an emergency.”
- West Seattle Hipster September 4, 2018 (12:05 pm)
  
  Agreed. It’s a natural reaction that people would like to know what occurred. Resorting to petty name calling is childish.

Friend O'Dinghus September 3, 2018 (11:42 pm)

With all due respect, the odds are that these are folks who just don’t care. Maybe this, maybe that, but most likely it’s just obnoxious people. I wonder how many of these shelters have to be cleaned up after use. I would guess it’s one in 20 (5%) or perhaps a bit more. The parks department can probably provide these figures if one is keen to find out. What are the odds that a group would experience something to make them get up an just leave like it’s the last moments of Pompeii, or a scene from Cape Fear? Not 1 in 20.